1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mobile communication system, a mobile terminal, and a method of making communication between mobile terminals, and more particularly to a mobile communication system a mobile terminal, and such a method for making communication between a pair of mobile terminals both having e-mail addresses identical to telephone numbers thereof for text communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
For instance, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-136091 has suggested a telephone connection service apparatus for transferring a telephone call to a called party by another route, for example, by e-mail, when a phone call could not be made because the called party is out of a service area, is turned off, or is already during communication.
In this apparatus, the means for receiving a transferred call receives a call that could not be made, transferred from a telephone network, receives both a destination telephone number and a telephone number of a caller from the transferred-call or the caller, converts the destination telephone number by means of a personal data Manager into a log-in ID to be used in an information service center of a mobile terminal to be connected to a telephone line of a called party, makes an e-mail addressed to a mobile terminal corresponding to the log-in ID, listing a telephone number of the caller in the e-mail, and transmits the e-mail to the information service center through e-mail service provided by the information service center.
By employing the above-mentioned apparatus, it is possible for a mobile terminal user to automatically transfer a call that failed because a called party is out of a service area, is turned off, or is busy, to the called party by another route, for example, by e-mail. However, a mobile terminal user could transmit an e-mail without employing the above-mentioned apparatus, when a called party is out of a service area, is turned off, or is busy.
In recent years, there has been known a mobile terminal having an email address that is identical to a phone number thereof for text communication.
For instance, such an e-mail address is obtained by converting a telephone number into an e-mail address by means of a browser. When the mobile terminal has an aforementioned function of an e-mail, it is possible to arbitrarily select text communication or e-mail communication for making communication with an opponent.
However, when a user of a mobile terminal having both the above-mentioned functions of text and e-mail communication uses the mobile terminal to make a call for making text communication, it would not be possible to make text communication, if a called party refuses receipt of a call or if a called party is out of a service area or turned off. When an-attempt to transmit an e-mail in place of making text communication, a user has to operate the mobile terminal to cancel a text communication mode and start an e-mail mode. That is, a user has to carry out troublesome handling.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-99508 has suggested an e-mail system in which when a telephone call is received, e-mails associated with the received telephone call are automatically displayed in a display unit.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-135298 has suggested a telephone service system in which a message is stored when a user cannot respond to a call, and the thus stored message is transferred to a predetermined address as an e-mail.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 9-247293 has suggested a network terminal in which a message is stored in the terminal when a user is not able to respond to a call. The thus stored message is converted into an e-mail, and the e-mail is transmitted to a predetermined mail address.
In view of the above-mentioned conventional apparatuses, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal system, a mobile terminal, and a method of making communication between mobile terminals, all of which are capable of automatically inactivating a function of text communication and activating a function of e-mail communication to thereby transmit an e-mail, when text communication cannot be made with an opponent.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile communication system for communication over a network between a first mobile terminal as a transmitter and a second mobile terminal as a receiver both having a function of packet communication and an e-mail address associated with a telephone number for text communication, the first mobile terminal including (a) a calling unit which transmits a request to the network for registration of packet communication, in order to start text communication with the second mobile terminal, (b) a judgment unit which either selects text communication with the second mobile terminal when an allowance for starting text communication is received from the network, after a packet communication channel has been established with the network, or selects an e-mail communication with the second mobile terminal when a rejection for starting text communication is received from the network, after a packet communication channel has been established with the network, and (c) a transmission unit which either transmits text communication data when text communication was selected by the judgment unit, or transmits an e-mail when e-mail communication was selected by the judgment unit. The mobile communication system automatically makes e-mail communication, even if text communication cannot be made.
In accordance with the present invention, if the first mobile terminal receives a response indicative of rejection to make text communication, the judgment unit of the first mobile terminal automatically switches a function of text communication to a function of e-mail communication without disconnecting a communication packet channel having been established between the first mobile terminal and the network. Then, the judgment unit transmits an e-mail by means of the transmission unit to a mail address of the second mobile terminal through the network.
It is preferable that the network (a) establishes a packet communication channel with the first mobile terminal and makes a response to the first mobile terminal in response to the request, (b) pages the second mobile terminal, (c) establishes a packet communication with the second mobile terminal and makes a response to the second mobile terminal in response to a request made by the second mobile terminal to register packet communication, (d) transmits a signal to the second mobile terminal after the response was made to the second mobile terminal, to confirm whether the second mobile terminal starts or rejects text communication with the first mobile terminal, (e) receives a response from the second mobile terminal and transfers the response to the first mobile terminal, (f) receives text communication data from the first mobile terminal and transmits the thus received text communication data to the second mobile terminal, and (g) disconnects the packet communication channel after transmitting the text communication data to the second mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the second mobile terminal (a) transmits a request to register packet communication, when pages by the network, (b) makes a response to a signal transmitted from the network which signal asks the second mobile terminal whether the second mobile terminal starts or rejects text communication with the first mobile terminal, (c) receives and transmits text communication data, and (d) receives an e-mail from the first mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the e-main addresses of the first and second mobile terminals are obtained by converting telephone numbers of the first and second mobile terminals through a browser.
It is preferable that the network (a) receives and temporarily stores text communication data transmitted from the first mobile terminal after the request has been received from the first mobile terminal, and (b) transmits the thus stored text communication data, to the second mobile terminal, when the response has been received from the second mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the network makes a response to the first mobile terminal which response indicates that the second mobile terminal is out of a service area, when the request is not received from the second mobile terminal, even if the second mobile terminal is paged a predetermined number of times, and wherein the judgment unit of the first mobile terminal selects e-mail communication in place of text communication on receipt of the response.
There is further provided a mobile communication system for communication over a network between a first mobile terminal as a transmitter and a second mobile terminal as a receiver both having a function of packet communication and an e-mail address associated with a telephone number for text communication, wherein if the second mobile terminal rejects to make text communication with the first mobile terminal, the first mobile terminal inactivates a text communication function and activates an e-mail communication function to thereby transmit an e-mail to the second mobile terminal through the network without disconnecting a communication packet channel having been already established between the first and second mobile terminals.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile terminal including (a) a transceiver unit which has a function of receiving and transmitting text communication data in packet and a function of receiving and transmitting an e-mail in packet, and which has an e-mail address associated with a telephone number of the transceiver, (b) an interface through which text communication data and an e-mail can be made by a user, (c) a display unit for displaying the text communication data and e-mail, (d) a first controller which is activated when the mobile terminal is called or when the mobile terminal makes a response to start text communication, and which transmits text communication data through the transceiver unit and displays text communication data received through the transceiver unit, on the display unit, (e) a second controller which transmits an e-mail input through the interface, and displays an e-mail received through the transceiver unit, on the display unit, and (f) a third controller which keeps the first controller to operate to continue transmission of text communication data, when an allowance for starting text communication is received from an opponent, and which inactivates the first controller and activates the second controller to thereby transmit an e-mail, when a rejection against starting text communication is received from an opponent.
In accordance with the present invention, when the second mobile terminal makes a response to reject text communication in response to a request from the first mobile terminal for making text communication, the first controller having been already activated is inactivated, and instead, the second controller is activated to thereby transmit an e-mail to the second mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the mobile terminal further includes a memory which stores addresses.
It is preferable that the mobile terminal further includes a workstation which stores text communication data.
It is preferable that the third controller inactivates the first controller and activates the second controller to thereby transmit an e-mail, when the third controller receives a signal indicating that an opponent is out of a service area.
It is preferable that the second controller transmits a request to cancel packet communication registration to the network through the transceiver unit when an e-mail is received, and disconnect packet communication channel.
There is further provided a mobile terminal having both a first function of text communication and a second function of e-mail communication, the mobile terminal inactivating the first function and activating the second function when an opponent rejects to make text communication with the mobile terminal, to thereby transmit an e-mail to the opponent in place of text communication data.
In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making communication between a mobile terminal and an opponent through network, including the steps of (a) the mobile terminal transmitting text communication data to the opponent through the network, (b) the opponent making a response indicating of rejection to make text communication with the mobile terminal, and (c) the mobile terminal inactivating a function of data communication and activating a function of e-mail communication, to thereby transmit an e-mail to the opponent in place of the text communication data.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of continuing text communication between the mobile terminal and the opponent, if the opponent makes a response indicative of allowing to make text communication with the mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of annunciating a user that an e-mail has been transmitted to the opponent in place of text communication data.
It is preferable that an e-mail address of the opponent is identical with a telephone number of the opponent.
It is preferable that an e-mail address of the opponent is obtained by converting a telephone number of the opponent through a browser.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of judging whether the opponent is within a service area or not, and whether the opponent is turned on or not, the steps (b) and (c) being carried out only when the opponent is judged within a service area and is turned on.
There is further provided a method of making communication between a mobile terminal and an opponent through network, including the steps of (a) the mobile terminal transmitting text communication data to the opponent through the network, (b) judging whether the opponent is within a service area or not, and whether the opponent is turned on or not, and (c) the mobile terminal inactivating a function of data communication and activating a function of e-mail communication, to thereby transmit an e-mail to the opponent in place of the text communication data, if the opponent is judged out of a service area or judged to be turned off.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of annunciating a user that an e-mail has been transmitted to the opponent in place of text communication data.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of paging the opponent at a predetermined number of times, and judging that the opponent is out of a service area or turned off.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of annunciating the mobile terminal that the opponent is out of a service area or turned off.
There is still further provided a method of making communication between a mobile terminal and an opponent through network, including the steps of (a) a user selecting text communication or e-mail communication, (b) storing text communication data in a memory, if the user selects text communication, (c) establishing a packet communication channel between the mobile terminal and the opponent, (d) judging whether the opponent allows to receive the text communication data from the mobile terminal, and (e) transmitting the text communication data stored in the memory, to the opponent, if the opponent allows to receive the text communication data from the mobile terminal, and transmitting an e-mail to the opponent in place of the text communication data without disconnecting the packet communication channel, if the opponent does not allow to receive the text communication data from the mobile terminal.
It is preferable that the method further includes the step of judging whether the opponent is within a service area or not, and whether the opponent is turned on or not, the step (e) being carried out only when the opponent is judged within a service area and is turned on.
There is yet further provided a method of making communication between a mobile terminal and an opponent through network, including the steps of (a) a user selecting text communication or e-mail communication, (b) storing text communication data in a memory, if the user selects text communication, (c) establishing a packet communication channel between the mobile terminal and the opponent, (d) judging whether the opponent is within a service area or not, and whether the opponent is turned on or not, and (e) the mobile terminal inactivating a function of data communication and activating a function of e-mail communication, to thereby transmit an e-mail to the opponent in place of the text communication data without disconnecting the packet communication channel, if the opponent is judged out of a service area or judged to be turned off.
The advantages obtained by the aforementioned present invention will be described hereinbelow.
In accordance with the present invention, if the first mobile terminal receives a response from the second mobile terminal which response is indicative of rejection to make text communication with the first mobile terminal, the first mobile terminal inactivates a function of text communication and activates a function of e-mail communication to thereby transmit an e-mail to the second mobile terminal. Hence, it is no longer necessary for a user to manually inactivate a function of text communication and then manually activate a function of e-mail communication, ensuring enhancement in handling of a mobile terminal.
In accordance with the present invention, when a first mobile terminal having functions of text communication and e-mail communication is to start text communication with a second terminal having the same functions, but the second mobile terminal is out of a service area or turned off, a signal indicating that the second mobile terminal is out of a service area or turned off is transmitted to the first mobile terminal, which in response inactivates a function of text communication and activates a function of e-mail communication. Hence, even when the second terminal is out of a service area or turned off, it is no longer necessary for a user to manually inactivate a function of text communication and then manually activate a function of e-mail communication, ensuring enhancement in handling of a mobile terminal.